Bright Line Bites

We are starting week three of Bright Line Eating, and I thought I'd report in on what we've been enjoying about the program, and maybe complaining a little.  Just call me your Diet Investigative Journalist.  Seriously, if that were a job, I would apply right now.

First, let's go over the basics of Bright Line Eating:  

No Flour, No Sugar, No Snacks, and measured quantities of food at each meal.  

Breakfast = Protein (2 or 4 oz. depending on the type of protein) + 6 oz. Fruit + 1 oz. Grains

This is BY FAR my favorite meal of the day, due to the inclusion of grains and lack of vegetables, added to the fact that breakfast has been a no-no to me for the past few years on Intermittent Fasting.  These breakfasts really feel like a yummy treat and I get excited about them.

3 Rice Cakes + 2 oz. Peanut Butter + 1 Banana

1 oz. Triscuits + 2 oz. Cheddar Cheese + 1 apple

4 oz. Cottage Cheese + 1 oz. Triscuits + 6 oz. Strawberries

I usually drink my coffee at 8 am and eat breakfast around 9:30 - 10 when I naturally get hungry for it.

Lunch = 6 oz. Veggies + 6 oz. Fruit + Protein

Because we eat lunch at work most days, I still cook a big pot of soup on Sunday and portion it in glass bowls to grab-and-go for the week.  I just have to make sure the soup has the right amount of veggies and protein per serving, which takes some calculating.  I mainly focus on the veggies and we add protein on the side if needed.

French Onion Soup + Yogurt + Berries

Mexican Soup with Black Beans and Veggies + Berries + Protein Chips

Grilled Chicken salad + Apple (not shown)

Tuna Salad + Grapefruit (not shown)

Cabbage + Sausage Soup + Apple + Protein Chips

I usually eat lunch around 1:30 - 2:00 when I get hungry, and after I've taken a walk on my lunch break.

Dinner = 4 oz. Protein + 6 oz. Veggies + 8 oz. Salad (or 14 oz. total veggies)

Dinner takes the most work, both mentally and physically.  I do not like to eat the same thing every night, so I'm constantly searching for recipes to make tasty vegetable dishes.  The dinner meals are  more restricted (no fruits or grain) and 14 oz. of veggies is A LOT OF CHEWING.  

Chicken Fajita Plate with Cauliflower Rice, Sautéed Peppers and Onions, Lettuce and Cheese

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower + Burrata Cheese

Prepping Brussels Sprouts + Zucchini with Tomatoes and Onions

Veggies from above (overcooked!) + Chicken Sausage

Grilled chicken + lettuce + brussels sprouts

Pork Tenderloin + Green Beans + Cauliflower Rice

Melty Eggplant in Tomato Sauce + Chickpea Pasta

Cheeseburger + Roasted Butternut Squash Arugula Salad

I would say that I am eating a much higher volume of food that I was eating before, and I truly feel great getting my calories from lean proteins, fruits and veggies.  As far as hunger goes, I feel the gremlin around 4:30 pm and can usually ignore him until dinnertime, around 6 pm.  Working out before dinner helps the time pass until I can eat again.  After dinner is a big mug of hot tea and I'm not hungry after chewing all that fiber from dinner.

Overall, it's going really well!  We treat ourselves to one or two meals each week that are off-plan, because we are not robots, and find this way of eating to be sensible and healthy for us for the other 80% of the time.  I am really glad I tried this way of eating and hope it incorporate it as a lifestyle change and not a temporary diet plan, and I'm not fooling ;)